RPV Chairman Jeff Frederick has successfully scuttled a potential GOP coup in the Virginia Senate :
Jeff Frederick, Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia and Member of the House of Delegates, via Twitter: “Apparently one dem is either switching or leaving the dem caucus. Negotiations for power sharing underway.”
I have called the lawmaker in question and am hoping to hear back shortly.
…
AN ‘UH-OH’ UPDATE: From a Richmond source: “We’re hearing that it was the premature release of this info from Chairman Frederick via Twitter that scuttled the deal.”
If this is true, Jeff Frederick should immediately resign. After the debacle of losing Virginia for Republican column for the first time since 1964, losing three Republican House seats, a Senate seat, and now scuttling the chance of power-sharing in the Virginia Senate — if failure has a definition, Jeff Frederick has fulfilled it to the letter.
Enough is enough.
UPDATE : Here is the offending tweet. The cavalcade of criticism from the blogosphere has been merciless thus far (and rightly so). Even if this wasn’t the catalyst, it was certainly the poorest of judgement.
UPDATE x2: It’s getting worse… the torrent of abuse (and calls for resignation) are multiplying:
Blue Commonwealth: Jeff Frederick: The mad man at the RPV
Cold Fury: Jeff Frederick Is A F***ing Moron
Below the Beltway
: Did Jeff Frederick Cost Virginia Republicans The Senate
Not Larry Sabato: Social Media Saves Senate For Democrats
Virginia Virtucon: VA Senate Power Shift? — Deal Now Off
UPDATE x3: More heat:
Contemporary Conservative: FALSE ALARM in the Virginia State Senate
Roanoke Valley Republicans: Did Jeff Frederick Cost The Republicans The Virginia Senate?
Matt Ortega
: Republican Twitter Follies
Too Conservative: Control of the Senate and Jeff Frederick
Sources on background are saying that Morgan Griffith’s office has the info on what really happened, and deflect Frederick’s culpability on the fallout. RVR is reporting that “the deal had fallen through before Jeff posted” about it, meaning that either the rest of the world is seriously misinformed, or worse that RPV didn’t have a clue about a paradigm-altering power shift in within the Senate leadership.
Morgan Griffith (presumably — the name says “Mason”) has this to say on Contemporary Conservative:
Representatives from the Senate Republican Caucus informed several members of our House Caucus today about what they characterized as an imminent power-sharing agreement. In addition, it was indicated to members of our Caucus, myself included, that this information was already known and was public.
I suggested to Chairman Frederick that he get the word out, minus the details. Jeff did not post anything other than an unnamed D was looking at leaving their caucus and power sharing negotiations were underway.
There is no reason to believe that Delegate Frederick’s posting on Twitter, which happened several hours into the day’s activities in the Senate, affected the outcome. Perhaps, it was the visit by the wavering democrat with the Governor of the Democratic National Committee. Regardless it is clear that the partisan makeup of the Virginia Senate is tenuous. Morgan Griffith
Meanwhile, Bearing Drift raises a great question:
Jim Riley broke the news earlier this afternoon that Del. Jeff Frederick was tweeting that there was “big news” potentially coming from the Senate Democratic Caucus
This set off rampant speculation that Northam, or potentially Miller, were switching parties.
Upon getting this word, Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw called an emergency caucus which included some substantial arm twisting of Northam. After the caucus, Northam remains a Democrat.
The appearance is that a “premature” tweet from Frederick is the cause of the Senate not garnering a 20-20 split. And so, not surprisingly, there are calls for Frederick’s head.
But what if Frederick was told to do it?
Sources tell Bearing Drift that HO– USE Majority Leader Morgan Griffith told Frederick to send the message.
If that’s the case, why would Griffith do that?
Something isn’t adding up, but it’s making for great scuttlebutt.
UPDATE x4: More coverage…
Bearing Drift: Did a mis-tweet cost Virginia Republicans the Senate?
Firedoglake: The MI GOP: Leading Their National Party to Twit Failure
Consider us lucky. Following in Saul’s and Crazy Pete’s footsteps, the idiotic Republican Chair in Virginia just blew a plot to flip the Senate today by tweeting about it prematurely. Democrats currently have a 21-19 majority in the VA Senate. Republicans had convinced Democrat Ralph Northam to flip sides which, with the Republcian Lt Governor, would have tipped the Senate to the Republicans.
And then the Republican Party Chair Jeff Frederick tweeted it.
Having been thus warned, the Democrats adjourned before Republicans could execute their plot … and proceeded to pound Northam until he rethought his decision to flip.
Democrats certainly don’t seem shy about attributing Frederick’s mistweet as the hint that something was up.
UPDATE x5: If there’s any question as to the impact the “mistweet” had, here it comes from the mouth of NLS himself:
Rumors of this had gone around for a while, but it was Frederick’s tweet that alerted Saslaw that it was happening today.
Look at the minutes above. Republicans thought this was so done, they had filed new committee reports, with an additional GOP member on every committee. They had to withdraw it.
…and I don’t quote Ben Tribbett lightly.
UPDATE x6: A reader reminds me that RVR is in fact the homegrown blog overlapping Delegate Morgan Griffith’s district, and would have a vested interest in defusing this situation. Interesting…
More hits.
d-day: Twitter Revolution FAIL
ontd_political: Jeff Frederick’s Twitter Use Foils GOP Virginia Senate Coup
Red NOVA: Jeff Frederick: Friend or Foe?
Apparently Frederick found out that Senate Ralph Northam( D-06) apparently was going to allow power sharing with the Republican leadership in the Senate. As this was happening, RPV Chairman Jeff Frederick tweeted about the news before it happened. This tipped off Senate Democrats to get involved and changed Northam’s mind.
Way to go Chairman. Between calling President Obama a terrorist, Colin Powell a coward and fighting with the McCain campaign, we were all already doubting your ability to handle things. Now I am even more in doubt.
Huffington Post: Jeff Frederick’s Twitter Use Foils GOP Virginia Senate Coup
Republitarian: Jeff Frederick
I think Jeff needs to take a real long hard look at himself and ask if he thinks he’s really cut out to be the RPV chair. He seems like an enthusiastic young man, but seems to lack the maturity and judgement to hold this important position, especially in times like these when every mistake is critical. There’s more to being the chair of the RPV than just having the right ideology… it takes a certain skill set.
Ouch.
Bearing Drift is doing some crack reporting over there — highly encourage you check it out. The question still remains: “So, the question is did Jeff Frederick leak the information out of incompetence or was this a deliberate act by Morgan Griffith?” They have also sought out and found this piece of information from Senator Obenshain:
Notwithstanding the fact that today is crossover day – the very busy final day for each chamber to act on its own bills — the session began about 4 hours later than planned. There was almost an outbreak of good government, but that was narrowly averted. Whew! Here’s what happened. There has been bipartisan concern expressed over the leadership and operation of the Senate Finance and Courts Committees. The concern came to a head today. Notwithstanding the fact that there are 19 Republican Senators and 21 Democrats, we began the day with enough Senators to reorganize these two committees – naming as co-chairs of those Committees Senators Wampler and Stolle – both Republicans – effectively forcing bipartisan cooperation in the running of these two critical committees. After 4 hours of meetings behind closed doors and with the Governor, the threat of bipartisanship passed, partisan fever and the status quo prevailed. Although the impasse was abbreviated, it should be noted that it took great courage and principle for someone to stand up to his party’s leadership. Governor Kaine, as Chair of DNC, flexed his muscle today – successfully. It is a sign of the increased partisan power he will bring to the Capitol in his new position – and it has come at the expense of good government.
The former line — that this was a deal already dead and Frederick was just behind the curve — just doesn’t wash anymore. Initial indicators are proving true — the “mistweet” tipped Saslaw off, and did indeed affect the outcome.
UPDATE x7: The Hampton Roads Daily Press over at The Shad Plank is picking up on the story:
Apparently the deal fell apart because of pressure from Saslaw, Kaine and others, but it will be interesting to see how the Democrats work to dampen this fire. GOP senators probably don’t want to overplay their hand here, but this could end up real ugly for the Dems as details drip out.
Indeed.
UPDATE x8: More… and from some pretty solid places:
Republican State Leadership Committee: VA Senate Update
Down With Tyranny: How Twitter In The Hands Of Imbecile Jeff Frederick Foiled The Idiotic Repugs
Blacknell.net: So Ralph Northam, Jeff Frederick, and Tim Kaine . . .
Tertium Quids: A Lost Opportunity?
When the RSLC and Tertium Quids are offering commentary, this is a pretty serious item.
No comment on the Frederick-Griffith connection though… that’s just plain damn odd.